A qualitative study exploring the factors that contribute to stress in women forensic psychologists who testify in court as expert witnesses

Forensic psychologists face a significant amount of stress when they work with legal professionals. The stress is accentuated when the expert testifying in court is a woman. This study explored the factors that create stress for women forensic psychologists who work as expert witnesses. Fifteen female forensic psychologists (10 Caucasian women and 5 women of color) were interviewed. Experiences of child custody evaluators were contrasted with those of women conducting insanity, dangerousness, and competency evaluations. Data was collected through a semi-structured interview and included questions about role conflict, interactions with legal professionals, psychological tests, experience as a woman, and one's ethnicity as a stressor.;Results indicated that women conducting insanity and dangerousness evaluations experienced role conflict in the form of the legal system not recognizing their ethical standards. All participants experienced a pull to provide case specific answers. Both groups reported negative experiences with attorneys. Issues raised included attorneys (1) being focused on their own agenda, (2) putting psychologists in ethical doublebinds, (3) demanding unexpected knowledge of latest research, and (4) threatening with malpractice suits. Both groups experienced pressure to answer the ultimate question. Women conducting insanity and dangerousness evaluation reflected on having to educate jury members about psychological concepts as stressful.;While the Rorschach and other projective tests were identified as supplementary tools, MCMI-3 was reported to be more useful than MMPI-2 to defend in court. A pull to use psychological tests to answer the legal question was identified. Child custody evaluators identified being a woman as advantageous. Women conducting insanity and dangerousness evaluations reported being questioned rigorously about their expertise. While women of color identified feeling discriminated due to their ethnicity, all participants identified being subjected to difficult cross examination when evaluating people from an ethnicity different from their own. Emotional burnout as a cause and effect of this work was discussed.;Limitations of this study relevant to generalizability of results due to the relatively small sample were discussed. Recommendations for new aspirants, current professionals, and legal professionals were discussed. Rewards of the work and potential for future research were provided.